Exploring how an androgynous society would function is interesting. As is correlating their treatment of people who identify as male or female to the way that our society treats anyone who does not fit the heterosexual norm.
Unfortunately the implementation was dismal. Riker was not believable in this role. Most glaring was his ridiculous talk with Troi that didn't match with the relationship that we saw onscreen. We have seen Riker become infatuated with many women and talk much more intimately with them than we do with Soren and he's never before talked about any of these women with Troi. Rather than showing us how enamored Riker was with Soren, the writers simply have Riker state it. It would be far more natural if we saw them in much more natural conversation and showing signs of connection. If, while working with Geordie, Riker turns to him and says "Soren is a remarkable woman, I mean person, I mean ..." and proceed to describe how remarkable he feels.
Riker's conversation with Picard didn't feel congruent with his character, nor the ease with which Picard let him possibly violate the Prime Directive.
But the real disappointment is the episode's conclusion: "Conversion therapy works!" Really, is that what you want to leave us with?
This ending wasn't even congruent with the rest of the story. Soren says that she saw a schoolmate tell the school that he was happy but she didn't believe it. She says that she knows many people like her. So, she should know many people who have been caught and forced through therapy. If it truly works that well, then she wouldn't be that fearful.
Perhaps Soren was to be played in the last scene as a robot who had been brainwashed and lost her personality and identity (thus showing how terrible the treatment was) but although there was a little of that, it didn't come across that well to me.
Unfortunately the implementation was dismal. Riker was not believable in this role. Most glaring was his ridiculous talk with Troi that didn't match with the relationship that we saw onscreen. We have seen Riker become infatuated with many women and talk much more intimately with them than we do with Soren and he's never before talked about any of these women with Troi. Rather than showing us how enamored Riker was with Soren, the writers simply have Riker state it. It would be far more natural if we saw them in much more natural conversation and showing signs of connection. If, while working with Geordie, Riker turns to him and says "Soren is a remarkable woman, I mean person, I mean ..." and proceed to describe how remarkable he feels.
Riker's conversation with Picard didn't feel congruent with his character, nor the ease with which Picard let him possibly violate the Prime Directive.
But the real disappointment is the episode's conclusion: "Conversion therapy works!" Really, is that what you want to leave us with?
This ending wasn't even congruent with the rest of the story. Soren says that she saw a schoolmate tell the school that he was happy but she didn't believe it. She says that she knows many people like her. So, she should know many people who have been caught and forced through therapy. If it truly works that well, then she wouldn't be that fearful.
Perhaps Soren was to be played in the last scene as a robot who had been brainwashed and lost her personality and identity (thus showing how terrible the treatment was) but although there was a little of that, it didn't come across that well to me.